Yorick

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Yorick can refer to:

Yorick, the deceased court jester whose skull is exhumed by the gravedigger in Act 5, Scene 1, of Shakespeare's Hamlet. The sight of Yorick's skull evokes a monologue from Prince Hamlet on the vile effects of death. The contrast between Yorick as "a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy" and his grim remains is a variation on the theme of earthly vanity (cf Vanitas): death being unavoidable, the things of this life are inconsequential. Though this theme of Memento mori ('Remember you shall die') is common in 16th and 17th century painting (see especially Mary Magdalene), Hamlet meditating upon the skull of Yorick has become the most lasting embodiment of this idea.

Yorick, the name of a vicar in Laurence Sterne's novel Tristram Shandy and the narrator of A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy. He is supposed to be a descendent of Shakespeare's Yorick. The figure of Yorick is often taken for a rueful self-portrait.

Yorick, the name of an enemy in Konami's video game series Castlevania, specifically in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The enemy Yorick is a skeleton doomed to forever chase his skull, which has fallen off. When the skeleton finally reaches it, he kicks it with his feet, dooming him to do this forever.

He is parodied by the character Saint Yoruk in the Zork series of computer games. See: Skull of Yoruk.

Yorick is the name of a spider featured in an episode of the popular Australian soap opera Neighbours. Yorick was a pet of the 'house of trouser' and was brutally murdered by Cindi, because she is scared of spiders. On a serious note, Yorick was not loved by Cindi.

Yorick of Poor Yorick Production companies, the fictional film company of James Incandenza in Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Notable production is a film called "Infinite Jest"Template:Disambig